The name Rously is part of the ancient legacy of the early Norman inhabitants that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Rously was a Norman name used for a person with red hair which was in turn derived from the Old French nicknamele rous, meaning redhead. Another equally valid derivation suggests that the name is a shortened form of the Norman given name Rufus.

Early Origins of the Rously family

The surname Rously was first found in Devon. The first on record was Radulphus le Rufus, a knight in the train of William the Conqueror who became one of the Justices Itinerant of the counties of Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwalltemp. Henry II. It is from this eminent person that the family of Edmerston and Halton, co. Devon descend. [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print. However, some of the family were found at early time further north at Mearly in Lancashire. "The chief part of the township was granted by Jordan le Rous to Stephen, afterwards called de Merley, whose daughter married Adam de Nowell, and carried the Hall and manor into that family, 38th of Edward III." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Rously Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Rous, Rouse, Rowse and others.

Early Notables of the Rously family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Francis Rous (1579-1659), English hymnist; John Rous (c 1618-1680), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Warwick (1660); Sir Roger Rouse of Gloucestershire; Sir John Rouse (died 1645), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1626; Anthony... Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rously Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rously family to the New World and Oceana

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Rously name or one of its variants: John Rous, who settled in New England in 1675; Michael Rous settled in Barbados in 1670; Lawrence, Michael and Stephen Rous settled in Philadelphia in 1738.

The Rously Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.